Modified bottle neck for use with child resistant caps

ABSTRACT

A bottle having a modified neck and intended for use with a child-resistant closure which allows the user to open the bottle without removing the closure completely from the bottle is described. The neck includes at least one locking lug and at least one anti-removal ring. The anti-removal ring is positioned between the lug and the open end of the neck. The neck may further include at least one deformation recess, with the deformation recess being adjacent to and radially offset from the locking lug. The ring and recess are intended to deter the user from bypassing the child-resistant safety features of the bottle and removing the closure completely from the bottle.

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to a bottle and child-resistantclosure combination wherein the closure can be opened without beingcompletely removed from the bottle. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to a modified bottle neck which includes ananti-removal ring to deter the user from completely removing the closurefrom the bottle.

[0002] Highly corrosive products, such as drain openers and antifreeze,are commonly packaged in bottles having child-resistant closures. Theclosures and their complementary bottles are designed to allow the userto open the bottle without completely removing the closure. For example,the user may squeeze the sides of the closure to release one or morelocking lugs on the closure from corresponding locking lugs on thebottle neck, and then twist the closure enough to open an aperture inthe closure allowing product to flow out of the bottle at a relativelycontrolled rate. Typically, the locking lugs on the closure and on thebottle neck are sufficiently long that the lugs interact at least asecond time as the closure is twisted open thereby preventing the userfrom rotating the closure any further without an additional unlockingaction.

[0003] However, the user can remove the closure completely by squeezingthe sides of the closure and releasing the locking lugs as many times asnecessary to allow the closure locking lugs to not engage the bottlelocking lugs. Once the closure is removed, the risk of spilling largequantities of the product increases because the bottle has a relativelylarge neck opening as compared to the opening in the closure. Thus, itwould be beneficial to have a bottle with a child-resistant closure thatcould not be easily removed from the bottle merely by squeezing thesides of the closure to release the closure locking lugs from the bottlelocking lugs.

SUMMARY

[0004] The present invention relates to a bottle having a modified neckadapted for use with a child-resistant closure which allows the user toopen the bottle without removing the closure completely from the bottle.The bottle neck includes at least one anti-removal ring which isintended to deter the user from bypassing the child-resistant safetyfeatures of the bottle and removing the closure completely from thebottle. The bottle neck may also include at least one deformation recesswhich allows the user to deform the closure to a greater extend thancould be achieved without the recess thereby allowing the user to moreeasily disengage the locking lugs on the closure from the locking lugson the bottle to open the bottle.

SUMMARY OF THE FIGURES

[0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a bottle having aneck made in accordance with the present invention;

[0006]FIG. 2 is a top view of the bottle neck on the bottle of FIG. 1;

[0007]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment ofa bottle having a neck made in accordance with the present invention;

[0008]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment ofa bottle having a neck made in accordance with the present invention;and

[0009]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a closure which may be used with abottle having a neck made in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The present invention relates to a bottle having a modified neckand intended for use with a child-resistant closure. The modified neckdepicted in the various Figures is selected solely for the purpose ofillustrating the invention. Other and different necks may utilize theinventive features described herein as well.

[0011] The bottle of the present invention is intended to be used with achild-resistant closure which allows the user to open the bottle withoutremoving the closure completely from the bottle, such as the closure 50shown in FIG. 5. The closure 50 is representative of the general type ofclosure which may be used with a bottle having a neck made in accordancewith the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of theinvention. The closure 50 has a cap top 52 with an aperture 51, a capskirt 54 extending from the cap top 52 to a cap bottom 56, at least onecap thread (not shown) located on an interior surface or engaging faceof the cap skirt 54, and at least a first cap lug (not shown) locatednear the cap bottom 56. The thread and locking lug are fixedly attachedto the engaging face of the cap skirt 54, as is known in the art. Theclosure 50 may be used with a separate plug 70 to control the productflow rate. In the “closed” position, the plug 70 projects through theclosure aperture 51 so that product cannot flow out of the bottle andthe closure locking lug engages a bottle locking lug 16 to prevent theclosure 50 from unintentionally rotating to an “open” position. In the“open” position, the closure 50 is axially displaced from the plug 70 sothat a gap or opening exists allowing product to flow out of the bottle.The user “opens” the bottle by squeezing the closure skirt 54 to deformthe skirt 54 and to disengage the closure locking lug from the bottlelocking lug 16 and then rotating the closure 50 counterclockwise. Byrotating the closure 50 clockwise until closure and bottle locking lugsengage and the plug 70 protects through the aperture 51, the bottle canbe “closed”.

[0012] Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 and 2 in which a bottle neckconstructed in accordance with the present invention is generally notedby the character numeral 10. The bottle neck 10 has an open end 12 and ashoulder 14. At least one thread 18 is positioned near the open end 12and at least one locking lug 16 is positioned near the shoulder 14. Theneck 10 further includes at least one anti-removal ring 20 which ispositioned between the lug 16 and the open end of the neck 12 andencircles the neck 10. The ring 20 is adapted to impede the removal ofthe child-resistant closure by including at least one flange, brim,extension, latch, hook or similar projection 22 which projects from thering 20 away from the neck 10. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,the ring 20 can include a first and a second brim 22 a, 22 b, with thefirst brim 22 a being radially offset from the second brim 22 b by about180°. The brims 22 a, 22 b are essentially identical and each has aslightly ovoid shape with a maximum width “w”. The width “w” should besufficient to prevent the user from disengaging the bottle lugs 16 fromthe corresponding closure lugs when the closure 50 is axially displacedfrom the shoulder 14 by more than one full rotation and the closureskirt 54 is deformed.

[0013] When the closure 50 is open, the anti-removal ring 20 on thebottle neck 10 functions to deter the user from deforming the closureskirt 54 to a sufficient extent that the closure locking lugs cancompletely disengage from the bottle locking lugs 16 thereby allowingthe closure 50 to be removed from the bottle. Specifically, when theclosure 50 is in the open position, the closure locking lugs abut theanti-removal ring projection 22 and the bottle lugs 16. If the userattempts to squeeze the closure skirt 54 to disengage the closure lugsfrom the bottle lugs 16, the projection 22 on the ring 20 creates abarrier that prevents the user from deforming the closure skirt to theextent required to disengage the lugs 16.

[0014] A first alternative embodiment 110 is shown in FIG. 3. The bottleneck 110 has an anti-removal ring 120 which further includes a notch 124on a brim 122. The notch 124 is adapted to retain the closure lockinglug. After the closure locking lugs are initially released from thebottle locking lugs 16, further squeezing of the closure 50 causes theclosure locking lug to be held in the notch 124, thereby preventingfurther rotation and removal of the closure 50.

[0015] A second alternative embodiment 210 is shown in FIG. 4. Thebottle neck 210 has an anti-removal ring 220 which further includes aflange or partial segment of a brim 224. The flange 224 is flaredoutward from the bottle neck 210. After the closure locking lugs areinitially released from the bottle locking lugs 16, further squeezing ofthe closure 50 causes the closure locking lug to engage the flange 224,thereby preventing further rotation and removal of the closure 50.

[0016] The anti-removal ring 20, and particularly the projection 22, canmake it more difficult for the user to squeeze and deform the closureskirt 54 to initially disengage the closure locking lugs from the bottlelocking lugs 16 and open the bottle. To overcome this problem, thebottle neck 10 may include at least one deformation recess 30, shown inFIG. 1. The recess 30 is a region between the projection 22 and theshoulder 14 which is indented or recessed relative to the projection 22.The recess 30 allows the user to apply greater pressure to the closureskirt 54 in the recessed region 30 than can be applied in a non-recessedregion. This causes greater deformation to the skirt 54—the skirt 54 canhave a pronounced oblong shape—and allows the closure lugs to flare outfarther than could be achieved without the recess 30, thereby allowingthe closure lugs to separate from the bottle lugs 16. As shown in FIGS.3 and 4, essentially identical deformation recesses 130, 230 may beincluded with the alternative embodiment anti-removal rings 120, 220,respectively.

[0017] From a reading of the above, one with ordinary skill in the artshould be able to devise variations to the inventive features. Forexample, the notch on the projection may have different shapes orconfigurations adapted to match the locking lugs on the intendedclosure. These and other variations are believed to fall within thespirit and scope of the attached claims.

1. A bottle for use with a child-resistant closure having at least onelocking lug, said bottle having a neck with an opening end and ashoulder, said neck comprising at least one thread at the opening end,at least one anti-removal ring positioned between said thread and theshoulder and adapted to impede the removal of the child-resistantclosure, and at least one locking lug positioned between said ring andthe shoulder.
 2. The bottle of claim 1 wherein said anti-removal ring isan annular projection encircling said neck, said ring having at leastone brim extending away from said neck.
 3. The bottle of claim 2 whereinsaid brim further includes a notch cut toward said neck, said notchbeing adapted to engage the locking lug on the child-resistant closure.4. The bottle of claim 1 wherein said anti-removal ring is an annularprojection encircling said neck, said ring having at least one flangeextending away from said neck.
 5. The bottle of claim 1 furtherincluding at least one deformation recess positioned between said ringand the shoulder end.
 6. The bottle of claim 5 having a first lockinglug which is radially offset from a second locking lug by about 180°,and having a first deformation recess which is positioned between saidfirst and second locking lugs and which is radially offset from a seconddeformation recess by about 180°.